


nobody should hear it

by neversleeps



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Piano
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:48:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24077770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neversleeps/pseuds/neversleeps
Summary: Damon doesn't tell Elena that he can play the piano. (But she finds out anyway.)
Relationships: Elena Gilbert/Damon Salvatore
Comments: 1
Kudos: 42





	nobody should hear it

**Author's Note:**

> Set whenever in the show before they get together, late s2-early s3 and the summer in between would work best.

Damon doesn't tell Elena that he can play the piano.

He never plays it in public, in fact. Any kind of public - other than Stefan, that is, and only because Stefan knows about it anyway. He usually plays when he's alone and listens intently for any signs of intrusion, so he can stop in time.

It's not about his big bad vampire reputation, in fact, because he truly doesn't see anything shameful in having many talents. It's more about the irritating childhood memories, when his parents arranged a reception and Mother would inevitably ask him to play for them. He sat there, in the big hall, surrounded by people he mostly didn't like, and he had to worry about getting the piece right just for their personal entertainment. He clenched his teeth, smiled politely and did his best as Father offered unflattering commentary such as: "Young men these days, so useless, good thing we can still have them amuse us." The guests joined him in laughter, and Damon clenched his teeth harder, swearing that one day he'd be the one to laugh last.

That came true, in a way.

Once, Katherine overheard him practicing. She stepped behind him as he played, just listening at first.

He had gotten pretty good by then, long fingers managing the instrument without any visible effort. Maybe it was because he didn't have to play at receptions anymore as his father found it shameful for a grown-up man, soldier of the Confederate Army, to "engage in such nonsense."

"Why, Mr. Salvatore," she drawled playfully after a while. "You never told me... how skilled your hands were."

"I should hope you know that yourself, milady," he answered, never breaking the rhythm of the sonata.

"Oh I do. But it seems to me that you pay a lot more attention to the piano than to the lady, Mr. Salvatore. That is rather rude of you."

Her fingers trailed down his arm and interlaced with his, forcing him to stop playing.

"My apologies," he lifted her hand to his lips, kissing it. "Just how shall I beg your forgiveness?"

Katherine smiled wickedly and lowered the lid of the piano, pulling Damon to join her on top of it. Her moans sounded better to him than any music in the world.

It was only later that he realized how little she cared about his musical skills. It was a certain change of the venue, unusual and exciting, but nothing more than that. She would often ask him to play for her only to interrupt in the middle of the piece with very different intentions, and it wasn't until much later that Damon realized she didn't enjoy his music - she got off the power that she had over him, his willingness to do whatever pleased her, the fact that for her, he foolishly and readily did what had been only reserved for private moments when he was alone with the music.

And yeah, maybe Julia Roberts and Richard Gere had nothing on them, but God, he wishes he could bleach those things from his memory, for good.

Elena catches him playing by accident, too - not something he's too pleased with. He just got a bit too carried away, and she heard him from outside before he realized she was there. He doesn't want to make a big deal out of it, so he keeps playing as if nothing happened as his peripheral vision catches Elena sitting down on the couch. She doesn't move anymore, she hardly breathes, and it encourages Damon to go on, to slip in some improvisation here and there, to command the music and hear it respond.

When he plays the final note and turns around, Elena is watching him intently, eyes shining with warmth and wonder.

"You never told me you could play," she whispers when he approaches her. He shrugs noncommittally, and Elena smiles. "My parents wanted me to play so much, but I never had the patience to get past the C major scale."

"C major? Come on, that's like the very first lesson," he teases, and Elena laughs.

"Well, maybe I did never get past the very first lesson." She looks down at his hands and carefully touches them with one of hers. "I'm glad I found out that you play the piano. It makes you so..."

"Sexy?" Damon supplies, and mentally kicks himself. He's well aware he's living up to Katherine's expectations right now, and he hates it, but he can't help himself. Luckily, Elena is unfazed, she just smiles.

"Not the word I was looking for." She scoots closer to him on the couch and leans into him slightly. "Don't hide from me anymore, all right? If you happen to feel like playing when I'm around, just do it. I'd love to hear you play again."

He bites back the first sarcastic remark his brain comes up with ("Elena, I _always_ feel like playing when you're around") and nods in agreement. Then he reluctantly leaves his spot on the couch next to Elena and goes back to the piano.

Music fills the space between them, accompaniment alternating between G, E flat and F chords, and when he turns around for a moment, he sees Elena's face light up in recognition. They exchange a tentative smile, and he turns back to the piano, recreating the song perfectly, listening to Elena's heart speed up a bit to match his rhythm. When the last gentle B flat fades out, Elena whispers something he shouldn't hear but still does.

"Human. It makes you human."


End file.
